Description of practice
Diverting water flow involves reshaping fields or field boundaries to divert water to other locations, e.g. to prevent the creation of rills and gullies.
| Examples of how to divert water flow | Further information (see Note below) |
|
|
|
Fascine drainageFascine drains are constructed as fishbone-shaped trenches and used to drain excess water from elevated lands that might affect plots of land or houses below. They also help to prevent landslides and gullies. |
|
|
|
Drainage ditches in steep sloping croplandDrainage ditches are dug with a gradient of 10-20% in steep cropland areas to reduce soil erosion by diverting excess rainwater. |
|
|
|
Landslide prevention using drainage trenches lined with fast growing treesLinear gravel bed ditches lined with local tree species are constructed at an angle across the hillslope to channel surface runoff towards the main watershed tributary in land prone to waterlogging. |
|
|
|
Cascading ditches with sediment trapsCascading ditches, silt traps and a larger catch basin are built between pineapple fields to collect runoff during rain and minimise transport of eroded soils to natural water bodies. |
|
|
|
Water run-off control plan on cultivated landContour banks with a slight gradient are constructed to intercept overland flow on cultivated land. These discharge into larger watercourses that run directly downhill. The contour banks shorten the slope in order to reduce flow velocity and prevent soil erosion. |
|
Note: Most of the Further information links are to a full description of the example in the WOCAT database. However sometimes the link may be to similar practices or a research paper. Occasionally the link is to a commercial product in which case it should be understood that this does not imply any endorsement of the product by iSQAPER.